This invention pertains to a vise device for holding the ends of lines to facilitate tying them together. More specifically, it pertains to a hand-held vise device for holding ends of monofilament fishing lines for use in tying tapered leaders.
This device, in its preferred embodiment, is used to hold the ends of two fishing leaders for tying them together. A tapered leader is produced by tying together several sections of leaders having consecutively larger or smaller diameters. Although the preferred embodiment is intended for use with fishing leaders, it may equally well be applied to other types of lines.
Monofilament leader is typically tied either manually or by use of a tying device similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,773,713. As many fisherman will attest, manual tying of leader can be both difficult and frustrating due to the awkwardness of manipulating such fine line by hand.
A conventional tying device similar to the one disclosed in the cited patent has a thick U-shaped body or base made of rigid plastic or metal. Levers associated with leg portions in the base pivot about screw necks and are subject to wear. Movement is resisted by friction. A certain amount of care is necessary to place lines within small grooves provided in the body for seating the lines. An elongate tool may be used in tying lines held together on the body of the device, but there is no provision for storing the tool within the body of the device.
It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a leader-tying vise device which overcomes the problems existing in the prior art.
Specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide such a device which is easier to use, has a lighter weight, and is of a slimmer design.
It is a further object to provide such a device which has a reduced manufacturing cost and is easier to assemble as compared to conventional leader-tying devices.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a device which is relatively maintenance-free. Further, means is provided for storing an elongate tool which is used during the tying operation.
To this end, a preferred embodiment of this invention is proposed which includes a base formed of a pair of similarly-profiled U-shaped plates, each having two spaced-apart leg expanses and a connecting web expanse. Each pair of leg expanses has an associated lever extending generally parallel with the pair of leg expanses with one end of the lever adjacent the distal ends of the pair of leg expanses. Vise tension is provided by an elastomer expanse for each lever encircling each pair of leg expanses and an associated lever. The web expanses of the two plates are cooperatively shaped to define a channel for holding an elongate tool.
It can be seen that a device made in accordance with this invention will satisfy the various objectives proposed. The use of two plates for a base provides a slimmer design and is lighter in weight than prior art devices when made of comparable material. Since the parts are held in place simply by an elastomer expanse and there are fewer parts, assembly is easier and faster. Thus, the cost of manufacturing is reduced. Having fewer parts and a minimum of friction in use, the device is relatively maintenance-free. The positioning of lines in the device is simplified since all of the space between the lever and the pad expanse can be used. The continuous force applied by the elastomer expanse holds the tool in the channel between the plates even after some wear has occurred.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will now be more fully described with reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings.